HOUSE BILL ANALYSIS

                  HB 1416

Title:  An act relating to recognizing teaching degrees in deaf education from a program approved by the council on education of the deaf.

Brief Description:  Recognizing teaching degrees in deaf education from a program approved by the council on education of the deaf.

Sponsors:  Representatives Mulliken, Romero, Talcott, Clements, Johnson, Costa, Wolfe, Mielke and Dunn.

HOUSE COMMITTEE ON EDUCATION

Meeting Date:  February 7, 1997.

Bill Analysis Prepared by:  Joe Hauth (786-7111).

Background:  The State Board of Education establishes the requirements for professional education, including endorsements for certificated teachers to teach in certain subject areas.  Certificated teachers require at least one subject area endorsement. To obtain an endorsement, an aspiring teacher must complete a certain number of hours in pertinent course work. A teacher may substitute in-service training for course work. 

In order to receive an endorsement in special education, the aspiring teacher must complete the minimum course work credit house in the subject area of special education, including, but not limited to, 24 quarter hours or 16 semester hours in:

Cexceptionality;

Calternative delivery systems and strategies for special education;

Cstudent assessment and evaluation;

Cprocedural and substantive legal issues in special education; and

Cinstructional methods in special education.   

Federal standards for special education teachers require the teacher to meet the highest individual teaching standards.  In practice, special education instructors meet the highest standards by successfully completing a teacher preparation program and obtaining a special education endorsement.  34 CFR 300.153.

The Council on Education of the Deaf approves 39 universities in the United States that offer a baccalaureate or masters degree in deaf education.  These universities are listed in the American Annals of the Deaf.

Summary of Bill:  The Legislature finds that the educational development of deaf and hard of hearing children may be improved by increasing access to educators who are themselves deaf or hard of hearing, and that deaf and hard of hearing students need to be provided with greater opportunities to develop their unique strategies and perceptions in today=s world.  The Legislature intends to remove barriers to certifying deaf and hard of hearing educators. 

The State Board of Education must waive the special education endorsement requirement for an applicant who:

Cis deaf or hard of hearing;

Cintends to instruct deaf or hard of hearing children; and

Cpossesses a baccalaureate or master=s degree in deaf education from a program approved by the Council on Education of the Deaf.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.